A link means “anything serving part of a thing with another; a bond or tie.”
Similarly, linkage means “the act of linking; the state or manner of being linked.”
A linkage between the organizational and the HR function thus refers to the
process of tying them together or aligning them. This link helps ensure that the
right numbers and right types of people are available with the right talents at
the right times and in the right places to help achieve organizational goals. It
also helps to address a pressing skill shortage that is hampering growth in many
organizations (Greengard, 1998).
HR practitioners have frequently been advised to work toward coordinating
their efforts closely with strategic planners. There are good reasons for doing
so. First, successful firms in every industry are more likely than poor performers
to deal strategically with HR (Barney and Wright, 1998; Lam and White,
1998). Second, top managers in many organizations, as a group, want HR professionals
who are capable of dealing proactively, anticipating rather than just
reacting to organizational needs, particularly needs for management talent consistent
with strategy requirements (Bennett, Ketchen, and Schultz, 1998). Third,
the career success of HR professionals depends increasingly on their ability to
think strategically and act decisively. The use of HR data during the strategic
business planning process is an important characteristic associated with stateof-
the-art HRP programs. HRP can, in fact, be linked to strategic business planning
and business mission or purpose.